Police Set Up Over 25 Striking Units In Akwa Ibom State Ahead Of Presidential Election

"There will be strict restriction of movement during the presidential election from 8am to 5pm. Those found contravening the law by moving around illegally in Akwa Ibom state will be arrested and prevented from casting there votes".

by Sahara Reporters, New YorkMar 27, 2015

Twenty five striking units have been put in place by the Nigeria Police Force in Akwa Ibom state as measures of ensuring peaceful election and restricting unnecessary movement in the state.

The Commissioner of Police in Akwa Ibom state Mr. Gabriel Achong stated this while addressing journalists in the police headquarters in Uyo.

The striking units he said is to enforce and ensure residents stay and vote within there area, and avoid movement from ward to ward.

"There will be strict restriction of movement during the presidential election from 8am to 5pm. Those found contravening the law by moving around illegally in Akwa Ibom state will be arrested and prevented from casting there votes".

"People should play by the role. Everybody should stay within there area of voting. If you want to stay back after voting, stay 300m away from the polling unit,Any group of people moving around from one point to another in buses will be intercepted. And will not be allowed to vote because they are contravening the law.

Mr. Achong said the strict restriction was due to experiences in the past with the major political parties.

"In the past political parties move people to cause trouble. If I intercept any bus, that bus will not move and the people inside will be arrested. My dear father and mothers, warn your children, warn your children on no account should they move around from 8am to 5pm. Whoever move in whatever disguise will be grounded".

The State Police Boss gave assurance to residents of Akwa Ibom state that the presidential election will be violence free.

"I am speaking at this point as the chairman of the security agencies in Akwa Ibom state.There will be no violence in Akwa Ibom state. Whoever wants to fight or disturb should fight within his family unit. If you feel you want to kill yourself, do it within your family.Nobody should cross from one family unit to another. Akwa ibomites have respected the law and worked with security agents. They should continue like that".

Mr. Achong stressed that he will not work with vigilante group except recognized security agencies and anybody found operating with any other uniforms will be arrested.

While reacting to allegations by the All Progressives Congress APC that those arrested in connection with the recent murder of the former deputy speaker of the state house of assembly Honourable Okon Uwah is not complete without arresting the main culprit.

The APC legal consultant, Effiong Oquong said the foundation for Uwah's assassination was laid at a PDP rally in Oruk Anam in February this year, when Emmanuel Ukoette the house member representing Ukanafun in the Federal House of Representative on live television called on PDP supporters to kill whoever opposes the party in the state.

The Commissioner of Police said "the crime was committed in a neighborhood and the people know their neighborhood. Whoever feels anybody commit that crime should come to my office with evidence. I will not listen to people who are talking to score political points".

Meanwhile the Resident Electoral Commissioner for Akwa Ibom, Mr. Austine Okojie stated that the independent national electoral commission INEC is working with the Nigerian Navy to ensure boats are provided to convey all the needed election materials and personnel to riverine communities in the state.

"We require about nine boats to move our materials to the various locations but we have five boats. The boats are with the Navy in Ikot-Abasi. We will hire four more boats and have enough funds, this is because the headquarter has given us enough money. We have moved sensitive and non-sensitive materials to the riverine communities".

In relation to fear of interference by the federal government or the main political party, Mr. Okojie said INEC is practically independent and takes decision unilaterally.

"There are 2980 polling units in the state and we are covering all the polling units. Also the safety of youth corpers is guarantee" he added.

SaharaReporters.com is an outstanding, groundbreaking news website that encourages citizen journalists to report ongoing corruption and government malfeasance in Africa. Using photos, text, and video dynamically, the site informs and prompts concerned African citizens and activists globally to act, denouncing officially-sanctioned corruption, the material impoverishment of its citizenry, defilement of the environment, and the callous disregard of the democratic principles enshrined in the constitution.